Sounders FC to open 2017 season on the road for first time in club history

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COMMERCE CITY, CO - NOVEMBER 27: Roman Torres #29 of Seattle Sounders holds up the MLS Western Conference trophy after a 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on November 27, 2016 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Sounders FC to open 2017 season on the road for first time in club history

COMMERCE CITY, CO - NOVEMBER 27: Roman Torres #29 of Seattle Sounders holds up the MLS Western Conference trophy after a 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on November 27, 2016 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

SEATTLE — The MLS Cup Champion Seattle Sounders FC will open the 2017 season on the road for the first time in club history, the MLS announced Wednesday.

The Sounders play the Houston Dynamo at 5:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, March 4th.

Seattle is 5-3-0 all-time in MLS regular season openers. The team says the season opener is away this season is because of scheduled infrastructure improvements at CenturyLink Field.

The Rave Green home opener is set for 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 19th against the New York Red Bulls.

The complete regular season schedule will be announced in January prior to the 2017 SuperDraft, league officials said.

The MLS season officially gets underway on Friday, March 3rd when the expansion Minnesota United head to Portland to take on the Timbers.

“During the 2017 MLS regular season, each club will play 34 games, including 17 home games and 17 away games. Teams will face each of their 10 conference opponents twice during the season with one game at home and one game away. Clubs also will compete in select additional games against different conference opponents three times, and they will face non-conference opponents once.”